The United States survived a powerful European singles comeback to retain the 2026 PING Junior Solheim Cup with a 13-11 victory at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
Morgan Pressel’s team began Tuesday needing 2½ points to keep the trophy after dominating Monday’s foursomes and four-ball sessions 9½-2½. Europe claimed 8½ of the 12 singles points, but Kelly Zhang’s 2-up win over Carolina Pérez-Tasso provided the decisive point for the Americans.
The result gave the United States a second successive win in the contest and extended its lead in the all-time series to 9-4-1.
The future of the game was on full display. 🌟🏆 Congratulations to Team USA on capturing the PING Junior Solheim Cup. 🇺🇸 #PlayYourBest | #JrSolheimCup pic.twitter.com/wHXuXn7K9n
— PING GOLF (@PingTour) September 8, 2026
Peaford leads Europe’s response
Annabel Peaford opened Europe’s scoring by beating US Women’s Amateur champion and world No 1 Asterisk Talley in the opening match.
Talley stood 2 up with four holes remaining, but Peaford parred the 15th and birdied the 16th before winning the final two holes for a 1-up victory.
Lauren Crump beat Amber Lee 3&2, while Anna Ludvová won three successive holes around the turn on her way to a 2&1 victory over Grace Carter. Lena Geier defeated Aubrey Hilgers at the final hole, and wins for Sofía Maier-Borst and Axelle Guillemard kept Europe’s hopes alive.
The United States moved close to retaining the cup through two emphatic wins. Eliana Saga defeated Adriana García Terol 4&3, and Madeleine Conser beat Lana Guyot 5&4, leaving the visitors half a point short of retention.
Zhang then closed out Pérez-Tasso on the 18th to settle the contest. Europe narrowed the final margin through Carlota López Minguela’s 3&2 win against Iris Lee and Alice Kong’s last-hole victory over Lily Peng, while Marta Muñoz halved with Anna Fang after birdieing the 17th.
“I’m so proud and I could not have asked them for any more today,” European captain Anne van Dam said. “It’s tough. The US team are incredible, but the girls know they gave their all and that’s why they are still smiling tonight.”
Pressel completes successful captaincy
Pressel, the first former American PING Junior Solheim Cup player to captain the US side, represented her country in the 2002 and 2005 editions of the junior match, then went on to make six senior Solheim Cup appearances.
“It’s easy to coach a team this insanely talented,” Pressel said. “They are also so clutch in the biggest moments. It was so fun to watch both sides and they all showed so much heart.”
Bernardus, a Kyle Phillips design in Cromvoirt, hosts Europe and the United States from Friday to Sunday.
Former junior competitors include Rose Zhang, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant, Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda and Jessica Korda, all of whom later played in the senior contest.
Monday Foursomes |
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| USA | Europe | ||||
| Player | Result | Player | |||
| Match 1 | Asterisk Talley/Amelie Zalsman | < | 6&4 |
Alice Kong/Axelle Guillemard
|
|
| Match 2 | Eliana Saga/Kelly Zhang | < | 1 Up |
Lauren Crump/Annabel Peaford
|
|
| Match 3 | Grace Carter/Iris Lee | < | 2 Up |
Adriana Garcia Terol/Carolina Perez-Tasso
|
|
| Match 4 | Madeleine Conser/Aubrey Hilgers | < | 4&3 |
Carlota Lopez Minguela/Marta Munoz
|
|
| Match 5 |
Anna Fang/Lly Peng
|
2&1 | > |
Anna Ludvova/Lana Guyot
|
|
| Match 6 | Honorine Ferry/Amber Lee | < | 1 Up |
Sofia Maier-Borst/Lena Geier
|
|
Monday Fourballs |
|||||
| Match 1 |
Anna Fang/Asterisk Talley
|
Tie |
Lauren Crump/Annabel Peaford
|
||
| Match 2 | Iris Lee/Kelly Zhang | < | 3&2 |
Alice Kong/Axelle Guillemard
|
|
| Match 3 | Eliana Saga/Grace Carter | < | 2&1 |
Carlota Lopez Minguela/Marta Munoz
|
|
| Match 4 |
Lily Peng/Amelie Zalsman
|
4&3 | > |
Adriana Garcia Terol/Carolina Perez-Tasso
|
|
| Match 5 | Honorine Ferry/Amber Lee | < | 2&1 |
Anna Ludvova/Lana Guyot
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|
| Match 6 | Aubrey Hilgers/Madeleine Conser | < | 5&3 |
Sofia Maier-Borst/Lena Geier
|
|
Tuesday Singles |
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| Match 1 | Asterisk Talley | 1 Up | > |
Annabel Peaford
|
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| Match 2 | Eliana Saga | < | 4&3 |
Adriana Garcia Terol
|
|
| Match 3 | Amber Lee | 3&2 | > | Lauren Crump | |
| Match 4 | Grace Carter | 2&1 | > | Anna Ludvova | |
| Match 5 | Madeleine Conser | < | 5&4 | Lana Guyot | |
| Match 6 | Aubrey Hilgers | 2 Up | > | Lena Geier | |
| Match 7 | Kelly Zhang | < | 2 Up |
Carolina Perez-Tasso
|
|
| Match 8 | Amelie Zalsman | 2&1 | > |
Sofia Maier-Borst
|
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| Match 9 | Honorine Ferry | 3&2 | > |
Axelle Guillemard
|
|
| Match 10 | Iris Lee | 3&2 | > |
Carlota Lopez Minguela
|
|
| Match 11 | Anna Fang | Tie | Marta Munoz | ||
| Match 12 | Lily Peng | 1 Up | > | Alice Kong | |
Related: Bernardus Golf Experience Unveiled Ahead of 2026 Solheim Cup in the Netherlands
Simon Bale
Simon Bale is the publisher of Golf Today. A low single-figure handicap golfer, he was previously a major shareholder and course reviewer for Top100GolfCourses.com for over a decade, starting in 2010. Through this role, he developed extensive knowledge of golf course design and architecture while playing more than 300 courses worldwide.